Life By Design Therapy

  At Life By Design Therapy ™, we often remind our clients that healing starts with the way you speak to yourself. Because the words you use aren’t just words, your brain registers them as truth. Phrases like “I should be over this” or “I just need to get it together” might seem small, but your brain hears pressure, and your nervous system feels that as unsafe. Reframing your thoughts isn’t about toxic positivity. It’s about creating language that helps your body feel supported instead of criticized. When you shift from “I need to fix this” to “I’m learning to care for myself,” your body can finally relax enough to heal. Change begins in the way you speak to yourself, and we’re here to help you start. Follow for more body-based tools and gentle reframes — and save this for the days your self-talk feels heavy. 💛 https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/

  Every year, right after the holidays, we start to notice a familiar pattern in the clients who walk through our doors. They sit down and share the same kinds of feelings: “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” “I thought I’d feel motivated by now.” “I feel heavy… tired… disconnected.” And one of the first things we remind them is this: Nothing is wrong. What you’re feeling is often your body coming back online after a demanding season. For weeks, most people move through the holidays on adrenaline — juggling plans, navigating emotions, managing family dynamics, adapting to disrupted routines, and trying to hold everything together. When January arrives and life finally slows down, the body has space to feel the weight of all that effort. Sometimes what surfaces is grief. Sometimes it’s burnout. Sometimes it’s pressure to set goals or “start fresh” while the nervous system is still exhausted. And very often, daily rhythms and self-care habits have been completely thrown off, which m...

  Every year, it sneaks up on you. One moment you’re lighting a candle or hanging the first ornament, and the next, your mind is already spinning with the gifts to buy, people to please, and plans to finalize. You tell yourself you’ll slow down after all the boxes are checked on your list, but “after” never seems to come. You want to feel present, grateful, even, but underneath the to-do lists and family dynamics, something feels off. Maybe you’re holding grief that no one talks about. Maybe you’re stretched thin trying to make things “special.” Or maybe you just feel disconnected from the joy everyone else seems to be having. If that’s you, I want you to know it makes sense. The holidays have a way of amplifying what’s already inside us, the love and nostalgia, yes, but also the exhaustion, loneliness, or ache for things to be different. This year, instead of pushing through, what if you cared for yourself the way you care for everyone else? So keeping the busy you in mind, here a...

  Each year, we notice something in the clients we support around the holidays. They’re excited for connection, tradition, meaning, and at the same time, they’re carrying invisible emotional weight: overstimulation, family dynamics, grief that resurfaces, financial strain, pressure to make everything feel “special,” or simply the exhaustion of moving faster than their body can hold. And we remind them: the mix of emotions makes sense. The holidays often amplify what’s already inside us — joy and nostalgia, yes, but also overwhelm, longing, and the quiet hope that this year will feel different. Your nervous system is working hard right now. Travel, gatherings, disrupted sleep, sensory overload, and emotional highs and lows put the body into “go mode.” If you’ve felt tense, tired, irritable, or not quite yourself, it’s not a personal failure; it’s your system asking for gentleness. This is why caring for your mental health during the holidays matters. It’s about slowing down long eno...

  Happy Holidays from our team to you! ❄︎ We hope this season brings you moments of rest, connection, and the kind of calm that reminds your nervous system it’s safe to slow down. Thank you for being part of our community. https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/

  If being around family feels draining, tense, or emotionally layered, your body is picking up on something you might not be aware of. The holidays have a way of bringing old patterns to the surface, moments where you’ve had to stay small, stay quiet, earn approval, or carry the emotional weight of others. When those histories show up again, your nervous system remembers. Feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, on edge, or simply tired around certain people isn’t a sign that you’re dramatic or ungrateful. It’s often a sign that your body is trying to protect you. You deserve a holiday that honors your limits, your clarity, and your healing. You’re allowed to choose rest, distance, shorter visits, firmer boundaries, or new traditions entirely. You’re also allowed to grieve what you wish family felt like, while still taking care of the version of you that exists right now. Wishing you a season that is gentle on your nervous system, soft on old wounds, and full of choices that help you fe...

  Have you ever wondered why you crave closeness… or pull away when things start to feel too close in your relationships? Did you know that the way you connect with others often reflects the ways you’ve learned to protect yourself. Maybe you learned to chase love because you feared losing it. Maybe you learned to stay guarded because safety never felt guaranteed. Either way, those patterns once kept you safe. But now, they might be keeping you from the kind of connection you truly want. Therapy isn’t about fixing your attachment style, but rather about helping your body and mind feel safe enough to experience love, trust, and closeness in new ways. 🌿 If you’re longing for healthier, more secure relationships, therapy can help. Start your healing journey with Life By Design Therapy . Book a call to find out more information today! Link in bio. https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/

  The holidays can hold so many layers: joy, stress, nostalgia, overwhelm, excitement, and everything in between. If you’ve been feeling pulled in a dozen directions, you’re not doing anything wrong… you’re human. This season, your mental health matters just as much as the traditions, the gatherings, and the to-do lists. These gentle reminders are here to help you stay connected to yourself, your body, your boundaries, your rhythms, and the kinds of connection that actually feel nourishing. Save this list for when the season starts to feel heavy, and remember: slowing down is allowed. Caring for yourself is allowed. And if you need support , therapy is a powerful place to find steadiness again. 💛 https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/

  The holiday season places a lot of demands on the body and the nervous system, and many people don’t realize how much that impacts mood, focus, and emotional well-being. At our practice, we encourage clients to honor their bodies in simple, sustainable ways that actually support mental health: ✨ Pause for body check-ins — A few slow breaths or a moment of noticing tension can help regulate the nervous system and prevent overwhelm from building. ✨ Re-establish steady rhythms — Consistent sleep, meals, movement, and hydration give the body the predictability it needs to feel balanced. ✨ Let boundaries be body-led — Your physical cues often signal when you’re reaching capacity. Listening to those signals is a form of self-care, not selfishness. ✨ Create quiet moments — Small pockets of stillness help the body reset and reduce holiday stress. When you support your body, you support your mental health, and the holidays become far more manageable. If you’re looking to begin the new...

  The holidays can bring moments of connection, warmth, and joy, but they can also come with expectations, emotional pull, and a pace that’s faster than your body can hold. Protecting your peace this season doesn’t require hard edges or shutting down. It can look as simple as slowing down, listening to what your body needs, and honoring the boundaries that help you stay grounded. You’re allowed to step back when plans feel heavy. You’re allowed to say no when your energy is low. You’re allowed to choose rest, quiet, and simplicity over pressure. Boundaries aren’t about disconnecting from people. They’re how you stay connected to yourself while still showing up with care. If you need a reminder: You deserve a holiday season that nourishes you, not drains you. ✨ Follow for more therapist insights on boundaries, nervous system care, and protecting your peace through the holidays and the year ahead. https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/holistic-somatic-therapists

  If you’ve been thinking about starting therapy, this is a gentle nudge that now is a great time to begin. For a limited time, we’re offering $40 off your therapy sessions for your first 4 months when you book a free consultation by 12/31 . This is our way of making care more accessible as you move into the new year with intention, support, and a little more ease. Here’s what that savings can look like: ✨ 1 month of therapy → $125 saved ✨ 2 months → $250 saved ✨ 3 months → $375 saved ✨ 4 months → $500 total savings Our hope is that this discount helps take some of the pressure off as you invest in your mental and emotional well-being. How to claim your discount: Book a free phone consultation with our Client Care Coordinator by 12/31 (link in bio). Mention the promotion when you schedule. Start therapy with one of our clinicians. Receive $40 off for your first four months of therapy. If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or wanting a more grounded start to the new year...

  At Life By Design Therapy™, we often remind clients that vulnerability isn’t the same as exposure. True vulnerability isn’t about saying everything out loud; it’s about letting yourself be seen in safe, intentional ways. When your nervous system has learned that openness leads to hurt, it makes sense that you’d want to protect yourself. You might stay guarded, overthink your responses, or hold back emotions, not because you don’t care, but because your body learned that safety meant staying small. Practicing vulnerability starts with regulation, not risk. It’s about building small moments of trust with yourself and others so your body learns, “It’s safe to be real here.” 💛 Our latest blog explores how to rebuild emotional safety and reconnect through vulnerability, even when it feels uncomfortable. Read it now at Holistic and Somatic Therapy | Berkeley & Online Follow for more therapist insights on connection, safety, and healing. https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/

  How Vulnerability Can Bring You and Your Partner Closer It’s a quiet evening, and you and your partner are sitting side by side. Maybe there’s something you’ve been wanting to say…something small, but real. You start to open your mouth… and then pause. The words get caught somewhere between your chest and your throat. You tell yourself it’s not the right time. You scroll your phone. You change the subject. You pretend you’re fine. You’re not necessarily avoiding the conversation; you’re actually avoiding the feeling. That uncomfortable flutter in your chest, the lump in your throat, the what-if that says: What if they don’t get it? What if what I say pushes them away? That’s what vulnerability feels like, the tension between wanting to be seen and wanting to be safe. If this sounds like you, it might be time to explore what’s happening beneath that hesitation. Read More . https://www.lifebydesigntherapy.com/blog/how-vulnerability-can-bring-you-and-your-partner-closer